1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin discrimination apparatus which conducts discrimination of bimetallic coins.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-054844, filed Mar. 5, 2008, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2007-48201 discloses technology relating to a coin discrimination apparatus which conducts discrimination of bimetallic coins. This coin discrimination apparatus causes oscillation of an oscillating-side coil at high frequency and low frequency, and detects the coin material and whether or not the coin is bimetallic based on variations in the high-frequency components and low-frequency components of the output signals of a receiving-side coil. Furthermore, this coin discrimination apparatus detects the thickness of the coin based on variation on the high frequency side and variations in the oscillation frequency on the low frequency side of the oscillating-side coil.
One of the purposes behind issuance of bimetallic coins was the prevention of counterfeiting, but many false coins of the bimetallic coin type have been discovered in recent years. With conventional coin discrimination apparatuses, there is the possibility of being unable to discriminate such counterfeit coins.